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When and How to Use Press Releases with Content Marketing

There are a number of ways to leverage press releases when you are engaging in content marketing for your website, blog (it should be part of your website) or business.

Content marketing is the cornerstone of a successful online business, let me repeat that content marketing is the cornerstone of a successful online business. Press releases are written andshared by smart business owners to build brand and highlight the products and services the business sells.

Having said that, press releases are not sales letters, nor should they be written with sales in mind. However, they can increase your profits if you learn how to leverage them to get more traffic and position yourself as worth paying attention to in your niche.

The Press Release Itself

Make the most of your press release by sending it out through free and paid distribution services. Some will send your release directly to those who have chosen to be informed of new content related to your niche. Others will search the press release database using keywords to find press releases that their target audience will care about.

Be sure to use relevant keywords and phrases journalists and ordinary people will use when searching for content in your niche. Include them in headlines, subheadlines, the name of your image files, and your links to your site.

Once you have published the press release at the various distribution services, add a copy to your site as well. Include keywords in the URL; this will help you get free traffic to your site. The technique is known as search engine optimization (SEO). Every page on your site has the potential to rank highly on the search engine results pages (SERPs) if you keyword every piece of content – including your press releases.

Use the Content in Different Formats

Running a website or blog is really demanding in terms of content creation. Why not use your best work as the basis for your press releases, and vice versa? For example, if you have an article about the best ways to stop a new puppy from destroying your home, turn it into a press release for National Puppy Day, or turn it into one related to an upcoming adoptathon you are supporting as a local business owner who cares about their community and the people and pets in it.

You can turn your press release into checklists, Top 10s, quizzes, videos and more, and vice versa. Make your press release stand out and offer interactivity by presenting it as a quiz. Keep the question, “Why should anyone care?” in mind as you create your press release, and chances are you will hit the sweet spot of human interest, news and usefulness.

Focus on the Needs of Your Target Audience

Going back to the question “Why should anyone care?”, this applies to both journalists reading your press release and their target audience. Remember, a press release is not an ad or sales letter. It should serve as the basis for a genuinely useful and informative news article.

This being the case, make sure your headline, subheadline and opening paragraph have real value. They should be clear, offer a promise of what is to come, and give important facts. However, there is no reason not to make the most of the press release to tell people more about your business and why you are worth paying attention to.